Hearing aids have been around for a long time. Initially, it was something like a speaker, inserted into the ear with its narrow end. The electric hearing aid appeared in 1878 - it was designed by the well-known Werner von Siemens. The first model, like many subsequent ones, worked on the principle of the phone and was very cumbersome. But gradually such devices were improved. Now some hearing aids are so small in size that it is difficult to notice them even if the person has a short haircut. But in this article we will not talk so much about the smallest devices, but about the best. Most often, buyers do not have any serious claims to the models we have examined today.
Contents:
- Hearing aid for which firm to buy
- Rating of the best hearing aids
- Best hearing aids
- Which hearing aid to choose
Which hearing aid to buy
Several brands of hearing aids are produced under the Bradex brand. All of them are distinguished by their very low price. If suddenly your main hearing aid has broken down, and there is not a decent amount of money at hand, then buying a device under the Bradex brand is the best option! But there is no need to expect serious quality from such a product, yet it is a purely budgetary device.
Oticon
Oticon has been around for decades. For a long period of existence, the number of its employees has increased to three thousand people. This allows not only to produce products on a huge scale, but also spread it to several dozen countries around the world. Including purchase of auditory amplifiers Oticon can and in Russia. It should be noted that the staff of the enterprise includes not only engineers who are versed in electronic engineering, but also real scientists - they are engaged in research and new developments. This contributes to the continuous improvement of Oticon's products.
Phonak
Phonak can not be considered a very large company, whose name is known all over the world. But it is she who implements the greatest number of innovative solutions in the field of hearing correction. Together with a multitude of partners, this enterprise is struggling with a multitude of stereotypes and limitations. It tries to impose the idea that using a hearing aid is as common as wearing contact lenses or glasses. It is interesting that the company has its history since 1947, when a small office in Zurich was founded. For all its history, the company produced not only hearing aids, but also FM-radio receivers, as well as other simple equipment.
Siemens
Siemens has been producing auditory amplifiers for many years. Now her creations are supplied with a flesh colored body. In this case, the devices are very small - they are barely visible behind the person's ear. Unfortunately, German products have an excessively high price tag. But you get a high-quality device that can function from one set of batteries for a very long time. Yes, and the sound quality of such devices is very worthy. All this and so pushes to forget about saving.
Widex
Very large Danish company, founded in the distant 1956.He is engaged in production of hearing aids on a huge scale. Speaks of this at least the number of employees, more than 2,400 people. The company invests a decent investment in the development of new technologies, thanks to which the Widex hearing aids gradually become all smaller. Now the company's products are exported to at least 90 countries.
Rating of the best hearing amplifiers
In today's rating based on customer reviews, the following are taken into account:
- Approximate value in specialized stores;
- Type of construction;
- Visibility of the device;
- The degree of sound amplification;
- Support of additional functions;
- Complaints of the owners.
The Best Hearing Aid
Phonak VirtoQ90 Nano
As you can understand by name, this device is completely invisible to other people. But its main merit is not this. The Swiss manufacturer has endeavored to endow the device with so many features that some modern smartphones would envy! But also there is such device extremely expensively - it precisely will not be affordable to the ordinary pensioner.
Advantages:
- It's almost impossible to notice to an outsider;
- Very serious sound amplification;
- Automatically focuses on the speeches of certain people;
- The interlocutor's voice is heard on the phone in both ears;
- Connect to the device of MP3-player, smartphone and TV;
- Good intelligibility even where there is an echo;
- Eliminate wind and whistle noise.
Disadvantages:
- Astronomical price tag.
This hearing instrument has no flaws if you forget about its high cost. But experts from Switzerland knowingly require such money. They tried to give their creation adaptive intelligence, which adjusts the device to the specific nuances of everyday life. As a result, you will hear much better than healthy people. That's what the reviews tell about Phonak VirtoQ90 Nano.
Siemens Motion 101 SX
Very worthy product from German masters. Refers to the class of behind-the-ear hearing aids. It is characterized by full automation. This allows a person not to be distracted by the settings of certain functions. Need I say that for an older person it is the adjustment of any electronics that causes the biggest problems?
Pluses:
- Suppress sharp sounds;
- Focusing on the voice of certain people;
- Suppression of feedback and whistle effect;
- Wind suppression;
- Automatic configuration.
Disadvantages:
- Price - very high;
- Not able to remember the acoustic environment of a particular room.
Comments on the Siemens Motion 101 SX indicate that this hearing aid does not whistle and is practically perfect in its task. However, it takes some time to adjust to a particular room. It is a pity that the Germans did not endow the device with memory, in which such settings would be stored, then automatically selecting. Another pity can be about the price tag, which many older people will feel prohibitive.
Bernafon Chronos 5 CP
In our rating could not miss at least one hearing aid economy class. However, it should be noted that even cheap devices of this kind cost a couple of tens of thousands of rubles. In connection with this budget, this apparatus will be able to name not every elderly person. But to consider even cheaper devices does not make any sense, because in our material we are talking only about the best of the best.
Pluses:
- Convenient use;
- Non-channel signal processing;
- Automatic reduction of background noise;
- Stable feedback suppression;
- Individual adjustment for each patient;
- Wireless connection of smartphones and other equipment.
Disadvantages:
- Battery charge is not very long;
- Not the richest functional in comparison with more expensive devices;
- Not the best sound quality.
Reviews at the Bernafon Chronos 5 CP show that many buyers are quite happy with their auditory amplifier. The device comes in a good case and is powered by standard 13-volt batteries. They can be used with hearing loss of III-IV degree. The only thing that can be regrettable is that the batteries regularly require replacement, which after some time will necessarily start to irritate.
Phonak Cassia
If not ideal, it is very close to such a title apparatus. The manufacturer offers several varieties of this model. As a result, you can choose an in-the-ear, in-channel and more customary BTE variant. At the same time, all versions of the device have excellent sound perception and support for many modern functions.
Advantages:
- Presence of the focusing function on the speaker;
- Competent suppression of extraneous noise;
- No whistle, usually caused by a feedback effect;17 color variations of the
- .
Disadvantages:
- Functionality is still not the maximum;
- Some claims to sound quality;
- Overpriced.
If you read reviews on Phonak Cassia, it seems that the buyers were satisfied. This is not surprising, because the device has a basic functionality that allows you to hear the world again in its entirety. However, it must be understood that this is still an entry-level model in the Phonak range of hearing aids. There are no advanced features like wireless connection of a smartphone, which are able to boast more expensive creations of the company.
Widex Mind 440
Very expensive hearing aid, characterized by durability and excellent appearance. There are three versions of this device that have their own design type. All these versions offer a 15-channel setting, allowing you to hear the world in all its colors. Voice messages are used for tuning, so there are no problems with it.
Advantages:
- 15-channel tuning;
- Support for speech commands;
- is able to focus on talking people;
- Background noise is almost not audible;
- The sound quality does not cause serious complaints;
- The user does not encounter an annoying whistle;
- Can be connected to FM equipment;
- The kit includes a remote control.
Disadvantages:
- Cost - much higher than average.
Reviews on the Widex Mind 440 show that the owners of this device do not even think of complaining about it. You can find fault here only to an inflated price tag. In the rest, the auditory amplifier acts almost perfectly. He gives a great sound, concentrating on the speaker's speech, and not on extraneous noise. At the same time, it has minimal dimensions - it is very difficult to see it on the person's head.
Which hearing aid to choose
Your purchase of a hearing aid will depend entirely on the amount you have prepared. The ideal device is the Phonak VitroQ90 Nano, but it costs a lot of money. All kinds of Phonak Cassia, Widex Mind 440 and Siemens Motion 101 SX are cheaper. But even they can not afford many of our elderly people, which can not but upset. ..